Meta dismantled a huge extortion network of 63,000 accounts on Instagram

Comprised of a complex network containing 2,500 accounts linked to 20 individuals primarily targeting adult males in the United States.

The social media giant said these accounts are related to an organized cybercrime group called 'Yahoo Boys', which has recently shown a trend of increasing malicious activity on cyber platforms major global societies.

In addition to the offending Instagram accounts, Meta also removed 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 Facebook pages, and 5,700 related Facebook Groups. All of these entities have IP addresses originating from Nigeria, which provide tips and training materials to perpetrate various scams. Additionally, stricter measures have also been implemented by Meta to automatically block scammers' attempts to create new accounts on social media platforms.

Sextortion scams are a form of cybercrime in which the perpetrator coerces individuals into sending intimate images or videos, and then threatens to release them unless the victim pays a ransom. or mortgage property.

Scammers often operate under fake identities or stolen data, initially expressing romantic interest to build trust and then convincing victims to share private photos.

In the next stage, the scammer reveals their true intentions, threatening to distribute the documents to the victim's friends, family, or public portal unless they accept payment.

Sexual blackmail can have devastating, long-lasting effects on victims. Therefore, the social media platforms that scammers abuse to commit this crime are actively working to quickly identify and remove offending accounts.

Meta has recently achieved many achievements on this front by increasing scrutiny and applying artificial intelligence algorithms to identify suspicious activities early.

Meta dismantled a huge extortion network of 63,000 accounts on Instagram Picture 1

Meta's protection and anti-extortion systems include:

1. Detect nudity (auto-blur) in direct messages, even in end-to-end encrypted chats.
2. Stricter messaging settings by default for teen users to block unwanted contacts, and send safety notifications when needed.
3. Hide teen profile from potential scammers.
4. Messages pop up for users who have interacted with blackmailers, directing them to support portals like Stop Sextortion Hub.
5. Share signals of sextortion accounts with other tech companies through Lantern to disrupt their activity across all major platforms.

Micah Soto

Update 01 August 2024